People for Ford (PFF) was the volunteer arm of the President Ford Committee formed during the general election to develop outreach efforts to special voter groups. Directed by long-time Republican National Committee activist Elly Peterson, the PFF staff targeted women, African-Americans, professional groups, ethnics, farmers, Jews, senior citizens, and young people for particular attention.

Chairman Rogers Morton named Peterson deputy chairman of the nascent volunteer organization in June 1976. Until then, Edward DeBolt, a counsellor in the PFC chairman's office, and Robert Marik, deputy chairman for administration, directed efforts to develop support among particular voter groups, especially African-Americans and Hispanics. Peterson took the lead in coordinating the Committee's appeals to these groups, in addition to the others mentioned above, during the post-convention campaign.

Constricted by spending limits imposed by the Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1974, the People for Ford organization struggled throughout its brief existence to stretch minimal funds. In stark contrast to the high spending levels of various volunteer operations during President Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign, the Ford volunteer operation consisted largely of small phone banks, motor caravans and rallies, advocate appearances, literature drops, and small-scale targeted advertising. Activities of broad-based grassroots organizations are not reflected in these files; rather, the collection documents top-down efforts of outreach and information dispersal.

The People for Ford organization was fluid and somewhat informal. Desk directors, appointed by Peterson, were fairly autonomous in drafting their respective appeal strategies. However, no desk could function independently and the individual desk directors submitted proposals and information to one of Peterson's three deputies: administration director Thomas Ruffin, special consultant Robert Keyes, or advocacy/press consultant Jim DeFrancis. Ruffin, Keyes, and DeFrancis all reported directly to Peterson. The regional effort consisted of state volunteer organizations, coordinated by five regional directors who reported to regional coordinator Pamela Curtis. Curtis reported regularly to Peterson concerning state and regional activities. (See Attachment 1.)

Files for the individual desks appear to be more complete than those of the PFF administrative staff. For example, the activities of Elly Peterson are partially documented in the Ruffin and Curtis files. Peterson donated the bulk of her Ford campaign material to the Michigan Historical Collections at the University of Michigan. Her files housed there include the bulk of extant information on the Women's Desk, although Curtis' records document a mailing program targeting women voters and folders on selected women's issues. Also missing from the PFF records at the Ford Library are files for the Labor Desk, the Special Events Desk, and PFF administrators Jim DeFrancis and Betsey Bellows.

The People for Ford files are unique in that they document a viewpoint not often seen in organizational records: that of minorities and special interest groups. Researchers can determine the PFC's priorities from the emphasis given to each desk in terms of both autonomy and funds; as well as gauge which voter groups the PFC perceived as significant and worth targeting. The major strength of this collection is the wealth of information on the concerns of special voter groups; letters both of support and of complaint provide insight into the social climate of the 1970s.

Related Materials (as of January 1992):

The files of Edward DeBolt, counsellor to the chairman, and Robert Marik, deputy chairman for administration, document PFC appeals to selected special voter groups during the primary campaign period. The Elly M. Peterson Papers at the Michigan Historical Collections at the University of Michigan include one large series of People for Ford administrative records, including regional reports, correspondence, and internal PFC and PFF memoranda.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

People for Ford: Thomas Ruffin Files, 1975-76.
(Boxes F1‑F7, 2.8 linear feet)Memoranda, correspondence, mailing lists, expense reports, press releases, resumes, speeches, talking points, news clippings, status reports, photographs, public opinion polls, and post-election analyses. The materials concern the identification of leaders within particular voter groups, selection of personnel, scheduling and expenses for PFF desks, and PFF and PFC administrative activities. Particularly valuable is a post-election evaluation of the PFF operation. This series contains the only information in the PFF files on the Democrats for Ford campaign, including a lengthy state mailing list. Thomas Ruffin was Director of Administration and reported directly to Elly Peterson.

People for Ford: Robert Keyes Files, 1975-76. (Boxes F12‑F13, 0.8 linear feet)
Memoranda, correspondence, newsletters, speeches, resumes, notes, mailings lists, press releases, fact sheets, surveys, statistical data, budget proposals, reports, travel itineraries, and news clippings. Most of the series documents Keyes' responsibility for the Black Desk. Materials concern African-American issues and the Black Desk's daily operation. Of particular interest is a list of all high-level African-American appointments in the Ford administration. Other materials include correspondence with key figures and records of Keyes' PFF and PFC administrative activities. Robert Keyes served as special consultant and deputy to Elly Peterson, as well as sharing the responsibility for Black Desk administration with Martin Dinkins.

People for Ford: Business and Professionals Desk Files, 1971-76. (Boxes F18‑F23, 2.4 linear feet)Memoranda, correspondence, contact sheets, newsletters, reports, fact sheets, printed endorsements, mailing lists, schedules, and printed material. These materials document the PFF's attempt to attract various business leaders and professional groups, including athletes, celebrities, doctors and dentists, economists, editors and publishers, educators, elected officials, fashion designers, lawyers, police and firemen, realtors, and stockbrokers. Also filed here is an administrative chronological file created by the Business Desk's director Robert Mosbacher, in his position as PFC finance chairman during a portion of the primary campaign.

People for Ford: National Volunteer Desk Files, 1976. (Boxes F40‑F52, 5.2 linear feet)Correspondence, memoranda, phone directories and mailing lists compiled by Judy McLennan, desk director. A state sub-series of volunteer letters and general letters of support constitutes most of this file. Other materials concern various state phone banks and the National Volunteer Desk operation within the PFF organization.

People for Ford: Youth Desk Files, 1975-76. (Boxes F63‑F73, 4.4 linear feet)Correspondence, memoranda, mailing lists, surveys, reports, brochures and fliers, and news clippings, compiled by desk director Carolyn Booth. The series consists almost entirely of a comprehensive sub-series documenting the youth plans in each state. Included here are high school and college recruitment manuals, information regarding the 1976 Young Republicans Leadership Conference, and drafts of the youth program at the 1976 Republican National Convention.